Building construction



May E2, EQS., PQM. VENZIE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 19, 1933 a ATTORNEY Patented May 1.2, 1936' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION sylvania Application December 19, 1933, Serial No. 703,046

10 Claims.

My invention relates to building construction and more particularly to a novel form of wall primarily useful for` partitioning, although it may be modied and used as a furring wall.

Broadly considered, my invention comprises a multiplicity of surfacing units adapted to be connected to studding members positioned between the opposite faces of the units and connected, movably in one direction, withl a floor and a ceiling.

An object of my invention is to provide a partition which is supported by studs which are free to move in the plane of the wall while the wall is being erected, and which are positioned between the surfaces of surfacing units such as reproof slabs.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a partiti-on wall composed of units which may be readily attached to and detached from supports contained'within their opposing faces.

Another object of my invention is to provide a partition wall composed of a multiplicity of preformed units in which the lute previously found necessary is eliminated, for which is substituted a mastic applied to slots formed adjacent portions of the faces and edges of the units. A further object is to provide a novel Wall 4which may be cheaply and easily erected from preshaped parts.

Other and more specific objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following specication, claims, and from the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1, is a front elevation of a wall embodying my invention with certain portions broken away vto show the parts therebehind;

Fig. 2, is a vertical section of the wall shown inyFig. 1 taken on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3, is a horizontal section taken on the lines 3-3 of'Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, Vis a detail perspective View of a clip embodying my invention; and.

Fig.v 5, is a horizontal section of a modified form of my invention.

Referring now particularly to the embodiment of my invention shown in the iirst four figures of the drawing, nailing strips N, preferably of wood, are suitably connected to a ceiling C and licor F of a room in vertical alignment to form a base for the reception of clips 6 (Fig. 4) which are connected to the strips N as by the nails 'I passing through openings 6a in the web 6b of the clip. The clip is preferably formed with two flanges 6c extending in a plane at right angles to the plane of the web Bb, which flanges are (Cl. 'I2-46) spaced apart a distance equal to the width of a channel 8 extending between opposed clips on the ceiling and floor 8. The channel 8 may be slid into position between the flanges 6c of the clip and with the clips in vertical alignment as shown 5 in Fig. 2 the channel will be held against movement except lengthwise of the clip in the plane of the wall.

Preferably a course of ireproof surfacingunits 9y is erected, rods Ill' passed therethrough, a chan- 10 nel member 8 erected over the rod Il)l and then a nut I I` tightened on the rod l0 to force the channel member into a groove 9a in the unit and successive courses of the surfacing units and channels thereafter erected. Various means may 15 be used for holding the first stud in` the wall in fixed position, such for instance as that disclosed in my co-pending application for U. S. patent vSerial No. 689,579, but since this forms no part of the present invention it will not be described. Obviously, however, each of the verticali rows of units and studs are forced against the end stud, corner post, or door frame, and each other by the nuts on the rods l0 so that further movekment of the studs and units in the plane of the 25 Wallis prohibited. At the same time the flanges -Gc on the clip 6 stop movement of the channels v8 out of the plane of the wall. Y

The surfacing units 9 may be formed with tongues 9b on an edge opposite to the edge car- 30 rying a groove 9a, the tongue being adapted to fit withinV the vgroove but of less height than the depth of the groove, as will be obvious from a consideration of Fig. 3, and both tongue and groove presenting in cross section the appearance of a 35 section of truncated cone. Thus, when one unit is tightened against an adjacent unit the tongue will' be wedged into the groove but a space remains therein through which passes the channel 8. Each of the units 9 may carry in their faces, 40 adjacent the tongues or grooves, slots 9d spaced, preferably, from the portions of theV Vblocks 'through which pass the rods l0, and preferably extending into the unit a. distance less than the distance between the tongue or the groove and 45 the faces of the units so that the slot, adjacent the grooved portion of the unit, does not break the wall of the groove. The slots are so positioned that they correspond when the units are erected and form a cavity into which may be inserted 50 a mastic 20 for increasing the rigidity and reproof qualities of the assembled units.

While I have herein illustrated my invention as embodying reproof slabs covered with plaster P to present a finished appearance, it will be obvious 5,

nection of the fireproof slab previously described is eliminated; The slab is formed Vwith metal faces Il which are bent over the edges of the slab and formed with tongues and grooves thereon as indicated at I9. In this embodiment of my invention the need for plaster finish isv eliminated and a iinished coat of paint applied directly to the metal l1.

Various modifications may be made in the above described embodiments of my invention withoutV departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the following claims.

'What is claimed as ,my invention is: Y, e 1. A building construction comprising a ceiling and 4iioor, amultiplicity of positioning members lconnected to said ceiling and floor, a multiplicity of surfacing units having tongues and grooves on at least two edges, the tongue of one unit and the groove of an adjacent unit being in abutting relationship and said members being positioned 1 therebetween.

2. A building construction comprising a ceiling and floor, a multiplicity of surfacing units having tongues and grooves on at leasttwo edges, said Vtongues being of less height than the depth of said grooves whereby a space is formed between a portion of said tongue and said groove when said tongues and grooves are interlocked, a multiplicity of positioning members connected to saidrceiling and floor and passing through the space between said tongue and groove, and means for maintaining each unit in abutting relationship with a positioning member and with an adjacent unit.

3. In a building construction, a ceiling and iioor; nailing strips connected to said ceiling and oor in vertical alignment; a plurality of clips iixed to saidnailing strip, each pair of said clips being in vertical, alignment; a channel iron ,maintained invertical position by each pair of said clips; ireproof slabs; and means for maintaining anedge of a Iireproof slab in abutting relationship with said ,channel iron, said slab being positioned to enclose said channel iron and `formed with tongues and grooves thereon.

4.'In a building construction comprising a `ceiling and a floor; a multiplicity of clips connected to said ceiling and floor, each pair of said clips being in vertical alignment; a metal stud maintained in vertical positionV by each pair of floor a plurality of clips fixed to said ceiling and floor; a stud maintained in a vertical plane by said clips; fireproof slabs; and means for connecting an edge of each fireproof slab to a stud, said slab being positioned to enclose said stud f 5 and formed with tongues and grooves thereon.

6. A building construction comprising a ceiling and floor; a multiplicity of surfacing units having tongues and grooves on at least two edges, said Y tongues being of less height than the depth of said grooves whereby a space is formed between a portion of said tongue and said groove when said tongues and .grooves are in interlocking position; a multiplicity of positioning members connected to said ceiling and floor, each passing through' the space between said tongue and groove; and rods passing through said units and members for maintaining each unit in abutting relationship with a positioning member and with an adjacent unit. Y

7. A building construction comprising a ceiling and floor; a multiplicity of surfacing units having tongues and grooveson at least two edges, said tongues being of less height than the depth of said grooves whereby a space is formed between a portion of said tongue and said groove when said tongues and grooves are in interlocking position; a positioning member connected to said ceiling and floor and passing through the space between said tongue and groove, and means for maintaining a unit in abutting relationship with said positioning member.

8. A building construction comprising a ceiling and floor; a multiplicity of surfacing units havingV tongues and grooves on at least two edges, said .35 tongues being of less height than the depth of said grooves whereby a space is formed between a portion of said tongue and said groove when said tongues and grooves are in interlocking position; a multiplicity of positioning members con- "40 nected toY said ceiling and floor and passing `through the space between said tongue and groove; and Vmeans for maintaining each unit in abutting relationship with' a positioning member and with an adjacent unit. T45 9. In a building construction, a ceiling and a jfloor; a multiplicity of studs; means for positioning saidV studs in a Vvertical position while permitting movement thereof inV a singlevertical plane, a multiplicityV of .surfacing units; and` means passing through said units and said studs for positioning said Vunits im'th respect to said studs and each of said studs with respect to the others.

10. A building construction comprising a ceiln ing and floor afmultiplicity of surfacing units Y lying in a single plane, a Vmultiplicity of positioning members each movably connected to said ceiling. and floor and each positioned between adjacent edges of said surfacing units', and Vmeans for 60 connecting said surfacing Vunits to each other and to said members. 1 Y

' VFREDERICK M. VENZIE. 

